It is no secret that the Buffalo Sabres are off to one of the worst starts in some time. One of the reasons for this slump has been the play of the defense. On Friday night against the Atlanta Thrashers, Captain Craig Rivet was a healthy scratch as he watched his team lose to the Thrashers 4-3 in overtime.
Lindy Ruff, when asked about his decision to scratch Rivet, said that “the guys that are playing the best are going to have to play.” Rivet has been the most inconsistent defenseman this season and has looked very slow ever since he came to Buffalo in 2008. One could say it is his age, but over his career Rivet has been a very effective defensive defenseman. So far this season he has one assist in nine games, along with a plus-1.
In 2008, Rivet was elected captain by his teammates. But his leadership has clearly taken a hit after being benched for most of a 6-3 loss against the Philadelphia Flyers, and now he is sitting in the press box.
This clearly sends a message not only to Rivet, but to the rest of the players. They are going to have to play hard in order to stay in the lineup. This slow start is now officially a slump for the Sabres who are ...
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Article written by Rich Lunghino
Buffalo Sabres: Captain Craig Rivet a Healthy Scratch
October 30th, 2010 by Rich Lunghino Leave a reply »
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